Parks and Recreation

By James Poniewozik

The show that began in 2009 with a lot of potential but an uneven voice emerged in its second season as TV's funniest, sweetest and all-around best comedy. The employees of the Pawnee, Ind., parks department, drawn at first in broad strokes, became fleshed-out characters with the work of a fantastic ensemble. Amy Poehler's overeager civil servant Leslie Knope became a likable protagonist, Nick Offerman made gruff boss Ron Swanson into a reliable, complex foil, and Chris Pratt and Aubrey Plaza quirkily struck sparks as ne'er-do-well Andy and sarcastic-girl-with-a-heart April. It's ironic that at a time when there's so much angst and distrust over politics, a show about government should be one of the least cynical things on TV. (NBC)